Strainer-cloth clamp



V. E. DOW

STRAINER CLOTH CLAMP Apr. 10, 1923.

Filed Mar. 50, 1922 Patented Apr. 10, 1923.

with err STRAINER-CLOTH CLAMP.

Application filed March 30, 1922. Serial No. 548,203.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, VERNON E. Dow,- a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Muskegon, in the county of Muskegon and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Strainer-Cloth Clamps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in clamps to hold a strainer cloth in position upon a receptacle, and is primarily designed for securing a strainer cloth to the neck or open end of a milk can, the strainer cloth being securely held in position while the hands are left entirely free for other purposes.

A further object of the invention has reference to a strainer cloth clamp that is extremely simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, durable and efficient in operation and designed for ready engagement or disengagement from a receptacle.

With the above general objects in viewv the invention consists of the novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described in connection with accompanying drawings, and in which like reference characters designate correspond ing parts throughout the several views;

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a top plan view of a strainer clot-h clamp constructed in accordance with the present invention, theclamp being shown in an open position by dotted lines,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view, partly broken away of the neck of a milk can or other receptacle showing the clamp confining a strainer cloth in position on the neck of the receptacle, and

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken on line III-III of Figure 1 showing the interlocking engagement between the clamparms of the device.

Referring more in detail to the accom-p panying drawing, there is illustrated a clamp for securing a strainer cloth in position upon the open upper end of a receptacle, and while said clamp is capable of wide and various uses, the same is primarily intended for securing a strainer cloth to the mouth of a milk can to be filled. Various kinds of devices, such as cord or twisted wires for securing a strainer cloth to a can or receptacle, are employed, but with devices ofthat kind, considerable time is lost and additional labor required for positioning the strainer cloth upon a can and in the employment of twisted wires for the strainer cloth, injury to the hands of the operator and also damage to the cloth by tearing thesame from engagement with the wire, proves such fastening devices to be entirely inadequate.

'lhe type of clamp disclosed in this applica tion embodies a resilient wire frame, a circular looped portion adapted to surround the neck of a can or other receptacle'fo r retaining the strainer cloth in position overlying the open upper end of the can or receptacle,

the ends of the circular loop carrying clamping arms so constructed-as to have an interlocking engagement when moved toward sic;

each other to effectively retain the looped portion of the clamp in engagement with the 1 edges of the strainer cloth and also binding the cloth upon the can or receptacle in a manner to prevent the waste of the fluid be-'- ing strained,- such as milkfrom; displacing the strainer cloth and falling into the receptacle.

Structurally, the clamp embodies a circular band or ring 'section l formed of resilient wire with the ends 2 and 3 thereof being spaced apart as shown by dotted lines in Figure 1 by the resiliency of the wire loop. The adjacent ends 2 and 3' of the loop 1 have outwardly directed clamping arms a and 5. contacting for a portionof their lengths when initially placed on a receptacle and moved toward eachother asshown in Figure 1 when the clamping loop is in a closed position. V

The outer end of the clamping arm 4 is angularly bent with respect to said clamping arm, with the bent end thereof reversely bent to provide looped portions 6 and 7 extending respectively above and below the clamping arm 4, the loop section 6 being of substantial. inverted horseshoe formation, while the looped section 7 is of substantially circular formation, forming acontinuation of the horseshoe-spaced portion.

The opposed clamping arm 5 is ofiset and bent upwardly as at 9 for the purpose of positioning the outer end 9 for interlocking engagement with the reversely bent portion 6 of the clamping arm 1, while the extreme outer end of the outer end 9 carries a circular finger loop 10.

As shown in Figure 2, the strainer cloth the edge 14 of the cloth overhanging and enclosing the can neck 11, the clamp being in the'dot-ted line position shown in Figure 1 with the looped portion 1 thereof eXtending 'aroundthe can neck 11 enclosing the edge 14 ofthe strainer cloth with the clamping arms 4 and 5 toward each other as shown by full lines in Fig.1. To lock the clamp upon the neck of the can, the clamping arm 5 has the outer end 9 thereof moved toward the clamping arm 4 and slightly moved downwardly to passbeneath the looped portion 7, and is then moved upwardly to the position shown in Fig. 1, to be received in the loop 6 as clearly shown in Figure 3, the resiliency of the looped portion 1, separating the arms 4 and 5, at which time the clamp is looked upon the can and movement of the strainer cloth relative to the can is prevented. It is believed that the construc tion and operation of the device will be readily understood, it being noted that the clamp may be constructed in standard sizes for use in connection with milk cans or other receptacles, milk cans of five, eight and ten gallon capacity having the same size neck portion, while the clamp may be constructed of a size to accommodate mountin'g thereof upon preserving jars or other receptacles for the straining of jellies or other fluid. The clamp may be easily and quickly placed in operative position and also removed therefrom and damage to the hands or'injury to a strainer cloth by tearing or otherwise is entirely eliminated inasmuch as there are no loose ends or sharp points of the clamp for engagement with adjacents objects.

While there is herein shown and described the preferred embodiments of my invention,

it is to be understood that minor changes in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts-may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Having thus described the invention what 1 claim as new is 1. In a strainer cloth clamp, a resilient loop portion, clamping arms carried by the adjacent. ends of the loop portion, the outer end of one arm being bent at right angles with said end and further bent to provide a reversely looped portion and said other clamping arm being offset upwardly and adapted for interlocking engagement with the reversely looped portion of the first named clamping arm for holding the resilient loop portion in clamping position.

2. In a strainer cloth clamp, a resilient loop portion, clamping arms carried by the adjacent ends of the loop portion and extending, for a portion of their length, on a plane with said loop, the outer end of one arm being bent at right angles to said plane and further bent to form an inverted loop positioned above said plane, a circular loop formed on the free end of said inverted loop, the other clamping arm being provided with an offset portion positioned above said plane and adapted for interlocking engagement with said inverted loop carried by the first mentioned arm, for holding the resilient loop portion positioned in clamping position, and a circular loop formedon the outer end of said ofiset portion.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature. VERNON E. DOW. 

